'It is natural; for the weak to fear the strong'.

As the years of WW2 continued to ravage Europe, in 1942 the theatre of the Pacific was just getting started. Vietnam had already contended with French colonialism and now the Japanese were making their presence felt. No one knew who to side with - or indeed if a side needed to be taken. Tuyet is happy enough with her rural subsistence running a shop with her aunt, cousin, and daughter, but her relative peace is upended when the local Japanese officer, Yamazaki Takeshi takes an interest in her. Just what will it take to survive?

'Twilight Territory' is a story of love: love between two people, love for your friends and family, and love for your country. As political stability continues to be vacuumed out of Vietnam, choices are constricted and hardship is magnified. Pham has put together a dense story that is well-researched. I enjoyed learning more about the tumultuous events that eventually led to the Vietnam War.

Chaos, corruption, and camaraderie are the three defining words to summate this novel.

This was a beautifully done story that worked in the time-period. I was hooked from the description and so glad I was able to read this. It had a beautifully done love story and showed the hardships of post-World War 2. Andrew X. Pham writes a great story and creates realistic characters and I enjoyed what I read.

I first read Andrew Pham’s memoir, Catfish in Mandala, in college over almost 20 years ago in an Asian American literature class. That class and memoir significantly opened my eyes to a distinctive perspective and voice in the Asian diaspora. It was also the first piece of work I read from an Asian American writer besides Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kingston.

This historical fiction novel is about post-WW2 Vietnam, after French and Japanese occupation, when Vietnam is fighting to end colonial rule from the French. The main character, Tuyet is a single mom who runs a shop with her aunt in French Indochina. Yamazaki Takeshi, a Japanese captain, is stationed in Vietnam and seeks Tuyet’s guidance and friendship in the village. What evolves is love amidst war and rebellion. When Japan loses the war, Takeshi ends up fighting for the independence of Vietnam on the communist side, and the reader is immersed in the story of these two characters navigating a time of unrest and change.

Pham’s writing can be clunky at times with the dialogue and historical information, but I am grateful to read a book about a time typically not written about in Vietnam (i.e. Vietnam War). Still, there are heavy themes about the history of colonialism and violence while also filled with rich descriptions of the landscape, food, customs, and the romantic relationship between the two. I really enjoyed the strong and resilient women characters as well as the badass, Takeshi. Finally, I loved that it was a story that showed how nuanced and unique our histories are.

Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham, to be released the 23rd of January 2024.

A sweeping saga and first novel for Andrew. About love, war, corruption, and resistance in post–World War II Japanese-occupied Vietnam and the French-Indochinese.

The story begins in 1942 Vietnam in the middle of the hot season. The wars in Europe and Asia are relentless and the Japanese occupation of Vietnam have upset, making things worse for the people. Life has an unsettling balance between them all. Particularly the French Indochinese living in Vietnam.

The story begins in the Vietnamese fishing village of Phan Thiet, Tuyet makes a living at a small storefront with her aunt Coi, her 22 year old cousin Ha, and her two-year-old daughter, Anh. Now living with her Aunt and Cousin. Tuyet, hardly remembers her luxurious married life she once had in the city of Saigon, which she left just two years ago after her divorce.

Until one day during this time Tuyet meets a Japanese Major named Yamazaki Takeshi - a commander of Pham Thiet Airbase and Lieutenant Tanaka Kenya - his Translator.

Tuyet is surprised, as she feels not fear but a strange kinship towards the Major. However, Tuyet is concerned, knowing how the townspeople might whisper, talk and spread untruths. Yet she is drawn to Takeshi’s warmth and kindness. He is a wounded veteran with a good heart. Does love deepen between them?

Takeshi begins to resent the Japanese Empire for what it has taken—and failed promises it has not fulfilled. Corruption, sex and illegal activity begin, causing further violence and destruction. The Viet Minh begin to take on the French and Takeshi risks his life for the Resistance. Tuyet and her family are drawn into the conflict, resulting in devastating repercussions.

A descriptive novel, a profoundly moving storyline. Twilight Territory is a lovely and war story offering fascinating perspectives on Vietnam’s struggles to break free of its French colonial past. All told through the eyes of one woman’s experiences, and her struggles for independence, her country’s liberation as well as her own freedom.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this intriguing novel about a period of history that has impacted so many. I rate this book four stars.

Set in Vietnam during WWII and the years immediately following it, Twilight Territory tells the story of divorced Vietnamese mother Tuyet and Japanese military officer Takeshi. Though their relationship is an unlikely one, love prevails and they marry. When Takeshi stays in Vietnam after Japan's surrender and joins the resistance against the French, who have retaken the country, life becomes extremely difficult for both of them, for the aunt who has raised Tuyet, and for their children. Twilight Territory brings to light another terrible chapter in Vietnam's 20th-century history, a chapter with which I was unfamiliar. The novel is not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach. Pham's language paints a relentless picture of devastation - of people and of environment - but it also brings moments of beauty and joy. Details of extreme deprivation, capture, imprisonment, and torture, and battlefield injuries are not spared, but neither are the moments of love and tenderness, help for one's fellow human being, and the power of ritual and prayer. Once again, we see how cruelly people can treat other people when land, power, and riches are at stake. Perhaps the author's background as a journalist explains his almost-total reliance on active sentences with few secondary clauses, a feature I began to find distracting. There likely is a limited audience for Twilight Territory, but those who pick it up will be rewarded richly.

Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham introduces readers to a captivating period in Vietnam's history, providing a unique and valuable perspective on an era with limited representation in English literature. The story delves into lesser-known events of Vietnam's recent past, making it an enlightening read for English-speaking audiences. While Pham succeeds in transporting readers to a specific time and place in Vietnam, my overall appreciation of the novel was hampered by the writing.

Pham's style often felt awkward, marked by stilted dialogue and occasional wooden expressions that hindered the flow of the story. The author's choice to include translated poems or sayings without context and the absence of diacritics for Vietnamese words created a sense of missed opportunity and detracted from the immersive experience. Historical information was also dumped on the reader intermittently, disrupting the novel's flow and drying out the narrative.

While the story is a commendable effort to share an important piece of Vietnamese history, the execution left something to be desired. Despite a vested interest in Vietnam, I felt disconnected from the story and ended up skimming large portions of the book.

This is a novel of love, war and endless suffering, with some very graphic descriptions. Set in Vietnam and starting in 1942, it takes its readers well into the post-war years that prepare the ground for the next big conflict known as the Vietnamese war- which, mercifully, is not covered in this book.

We meet Tuyet, a young Vietnamese shopkeeper, and Yamazaki, a major of the Japanese army when Vietnam is still under French colonial rule and the Japanese had just invaded and occupied the country. Tuyet and Yamazaki fall in love, start a family and find themselves at the receiving end of the power struggles that have engulfed the country. With the end of the Second World War and the defeat of the Axis Powers, a power vacuum emerged that created further havoc in a country already devastated and famished. Both, Tuyet and Yamazaki join the resistance which had grown in numbers, resulting in even greater brutality of the reinstated French colonial rulers.

This is a tale of endurance, that in places becomes almost unbearable to witness. I did however enjoy the historical background and the main characters of the book, who show an incredible high level of resilience and ability to love – even in the face of the most adverse circumstances.

I am grateful to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautifully written book about a really ugly topic.

This was outside of my usual genre comfort zone and I absolutely loved it, thank you so much to the author!

Following the end of WWII, this book sets up and outlines the tragic history of Vietnam during the Cold War. Tuyet, her Aunt Coi, cousin Ha and daughter Anh are eking out a living with a small storefront in the village of Phan Thiet. When Japanese Major Takeshi reaches out to Tuyet to get a feel for the village, she is instantly suspicious and worried about what her neighbors will say. She directs him elsewhere, but slowly begins to date and see the Major. As their relationship grows, relationships between the Japanese, French, and Vietnamese worsens and interrupts in violence.

This book was fascinating! I have never read anything about Vietnam during this period of time. I found it historically enlightening. The characters were well developed, I felt connected to them even through time and cultural differences. I would love to read more from this author. Overall, highly recommended.

I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

Authors note at the beginning of the book states the story is fiction but inspired by events from his maternal grandmother.

I really enjoyed the old proverbs and metaphors throughout this book. Very detailed descriptions of scenery and scene settings.

A very well written book with great character development and plot progression.

In a small Vietnamese fishing village in French Indochina, Tuyet and her aunt Coi, cousin Ha and daughter Anh all live together and her aunt runs a small shop. Tuyet is a divorced single mother, she meets Japanese major Yamazaki Takeshi, Tuyet is cautious around soldiers and she’s surprise to discover he’s different and not like the others.

Yamazaki Takeshi is from Hokkaido, he’d just finished university when he was conscripted into the Japanese army, he was severely wounded and in 1942 was transferred to oversee Thiet Airbase. Yamazaki knows the Japanese Empire is going to be defeated, it’s just a matter of time and he’s right. Yamazaki has hidden a stash of gold and precious stones, and he wants to use this to one day return to Japan, to paint and go fishing with his father and this leads to him making enemies and they won’t stop until they hunt him down and find out where he's stashed the bounty.

The Viet Minh was an Indochinese Communist Party and Resistance, they wanted independence for Vietnam, the members were anti French Jackals and Japanese Fascists, Yamazaki and Tuyet become involved. This means they spend a lot of time apart, constantly on the move and looking over their shoulders.

I received a digital copy of Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham from W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. A historical fiction saga that spans over a decade, it’s set during the Second World War, Japanese invasion and Vietnam trying to break free from colonial rule, included in the story are widespread corruption, famine and suffering, exploitation of young girls and women, rape and violence.

I really liked and admired the characters of Tuyet and Coi, both are strong, courageous and empowering women, and they had to deal with hardship, tragedy, loss and consequences of the family being involved in the resistance and with the Viet Minh, including homelessness, imprisoned and torture.

The narrative does has vivid descriptions of the landscape and scenery of Vietnam, the yummy food, use of natural medicine, culture, traditions, celebrations, rituals and details of Tuyet and Yamazaki romantic relationship. I did learn a lot about French Indochina and Vietnam, I think the novel could have been shorter and four stars.

Twilight Territory is a riveting historical fiction that immerses readers in a world of intrigue, courage, and honour. Set in Vietnam between 1942 and 1951, it is the love story of a Japanese soldier who is drawn to the spirit and resilience of a recently divorced Vietnamese woman. It is also a love story between the characters and Vietnam. Much of the story's tension comes from the strain of trying to find balance between these two loves. As one character observes, “Those sneaky little devils want us to exchange a French yoke for a Japanese yoke.” Ma chimed, “When that happens, people will hate Jap collaborators.” “Ma! She’s in love,” said Ly. “Now, please leave us alone."

The Japanese occupation of Vietnam was a period of significant turmoil in the country's history. Vietnam was exploited for its infrastructure and resources, which led to suffering and economic hardship for the Vietnamese people. It describes how, "Even in the later stages when their supply lines had been disrupted by the Allies, the Japanese continued to impose high delivery quotas on farmers, stockpiling food, only to leave much of it to rot in warehouses while a million peasants died of starvation. The north bore the brunt of this." Many well written scenes describe the corruption which permeated every aspect of daily activities.

The decline of French colonial rule also introduced fascinating issues related to race and class. For example, "Since the early days of the colony, the French had been importing Indians and Chinese to manage their finances and trade, effectively keeping power, knowledge, and wealth out of the hands of the Viet." This book serves as a useful introduction to Vietnam's anti-colonial and nationalist movements. The book has languid moments full of detailed descriptions of individuals, food and scenery, but also suspenseful moments of fierce battles, guerrilla warfare, interrogations, smuggling and revenge.

There are a number of female characters in this book who are extremely well written. It features many women who are single mothers, middle aged and divorced. This is somehow still rare in fiction. One main themes of this book is the hidden power of female networks during times of conflict. They are able to find information, to plan escapes, to source medicines and arrange bribes. One resourceful character is described as "a fifty-four-year-old woman, alone, armed with only her wits and prayer beads."

Unfortunately, some readers might be put off by a scene at the beginning of the book where a sixteen year old girl is being sexually exploited by the Frenchman Feraud. This character finds most of his young women by force, coercion and blackmail. Having finished the book, it seems that the descriptions of her body are meant to show how depraved the character was in his sexual habits. I do feel that it was over long, given that it provided far more physical details than any of the sex scenes with older women. Every detail of her body and her "bearing as untutored as a child's" are described at length, and I began to wonder if this description of "blooming youth that preceded womanhood" was meant purely to tantalise the reader. The representation of these types of sex scenes is a highly contentious and complex issue. Later scenes clarified how it was "common practice for Frenchmen to order the wives or daughters of their Viet underlings to come to their beds." I believe this raises awareness of the sexual violence women experienced under colonialism. However, I do feel that the detailed descriptions of her young body overstepped into being gratuitous and this is unfortunate, as readers may choose not to continue on with the story. Overall, the portrayals of women were authentic and empowering, highlighting their resilience, agency and the incredible skills which they developed in every stage of life.

Twilight Territory is a tale of survival and retribution, a gripping saga which explains Vietnam's history and how these chaotic times impacted the lives of its people. This book would likely appeal to history enthusiasts, especially those with a keen interest in WWII and the lesser-known aspects of the conflict. This book uses rich storytelling to illuminate a pivotal and yet often overlooked theatre of the war. The setting will allow readers to explore the traditions and culture of the Vietnamese people, particularly because they are able to learn alongside the Japanese character Major Yamazaki Takeshi as he deepens his relationship with the Vietnamese character Tuyet.

This book was provided by W.W. Norton & Company for review.

Definitely felt like a fever dream! Beautifully written and enjoyable all around. I'm keen to see what else this author writes.